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URGENT ACTION: Death Threats Against Leadership of Oilworkers Union USO |
Urgent Actions |
Friday, 21 September 2007 11:38 |
3 September 2007 In Colombia, according Alvaro Uribe, the paramilitary groups have demobilised but the reality is that they are even more active from either inside or outside jail. Our union, Unión Sindical Obrera, (the Oilworkers Union of Colombia) has been the object of written and telephoned death threats against leaders. These are attributed to “Águilas Negras” [the Black Eagles]. Each time the government and state oil corporation Ecopetrol’s management implement privatisation programmes (or give away our resources), the threats increase against the union – as now when the workers reject the decision to sell shares that started on 27 August. Contents:
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DEATH THREATS AGAINST NATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF OILWORKERS UNION USO
In Colombia, according Alvaro Uribe, the paramilitary groups have demobilised but the reality is that they are even more active from either inside or outside jail. Our union, Unión Sindical Obrera, (the Oilworkers Union of Colombia) has been the object of written and telephoned death threats against leaders. These are attributed to “Águilas Negras” [the Black Eagles]. Each time the government and state oil corporation Ecopetrol’s management implement privatisation programmes (or give away our resources), the threats increase against the union – as now when the workers reject the decision to sell shares that started on 27August.
Events:
“we know the work that you are doing in human rights, especially the denouncements overseas, and if you continue doing this we will go ahead, we know where you are, but especially your family.”
“Whoever stays we’ll burn. Our threats are real the guerrilla of Cartagena continue to believe that it is a game but the death of Manuel López wasn’t an accident. Many more who are on our black list for having links with the Farc or with Bolivarian groups will end up like him as a result of our intelligence work. This work has as its objective the prevention of the appearance of new political forces allied to the guerrilla left in Cartagena. We will elect 80% of the deputies of Bolívar and 70% of the Cartagena council. Many “gay” leaders [sic] have left the city but you sons of bitches that remain will run the same luck as López…….In the same way that since November many sons of bitches have left as a result of our operations together with the military forces….You with your cheap communism have wanted to buy consciences…trade unionist, social leaders, journalistic organisations, democracy observers and student organisations linked to the Cartagena guerrilla are military targets and we know how your and your families’ movements around the city. Sons of bitches, these threats aren’t temporary as many of you think.
Ultimatum
DEATH DEATH DEATH
REFUNDANDO IDEAS FOR A CARTAGENA FREE FROM GUERRILLA
AGUILAS NEGRAS (DISSIDENT BLOCK)”
3) On Friday 31 August RODOLFO VECINO was threatened in the city of Barrancabermeja via email the transcription of which follows:
“BARRANCABERMEJA, 31 AUGUST 2007-09-04
We confirm our objectives Rodolfo Vecino. The intelligence carried out in Cartagena, Barranca[bermeja], Arauca, etc., confirms to us that you were lucky in Cartagena in all the opportunities there were to annihilate you but you aren’t going to save yourself this time. For the record you were warned to leave Cartagena and you didn’t. You have continued doing the same thing and now you are fucking with us here in Barranca but we want to warn you that you won’t have the same luck here and in any part of Colombian territory. Don’t underestimate us, your time has come. You are going to leave a widow and four children. Remember when they came for you the mistaken attempt on you wife, you know it was for you. Arseholes, we are going to take you out we know all your movements. We declare you a military target. Neither the guerrilla that look after you nor yourself can save you, whether you have armoured protection or not. Our annihilation plan against all union leader, all guerrilla members, MRGL ,etc. is ready right now. You already have us XXXXX, MALPARIDO Rodolfo with your shit ideas.
We have sufficient military power and intelligence, we remain strong. You have to carry out our orders sons of bitches! You will see very soon what awaits you! There order is ready now!
United Aguilas Negras of Colombia.”
In the face of such serious evidence, the National Directorate and the USO Commission of Peace & Human Rights and the CUT contacted the Home Office, the DAS an the police so that an investigation can be initiated immediately about these threats and so that the lives of Rodolfo Vecino and his family can be guaranteed.
Background
Requests and Responsibilities
In the face of the negligence with regard to offering necessary protection in order that we can exercise union activity, we hold the Colombian state responsible for any attempt on the lives of RODOLFO VECINO and his family and any other member of the union directorate.
We demand that the national government and Ecopetrol immediately put in place all the necessary measures to safe guard the lives of EDGAR MOJICA, RODOLFO VECINO and their families, and all the members of the union.
We request that social organisations, trade unions and human rights organisations come out against the threats and take any action necessary to back the protection of those threatened. USO NATIONAL COMMITEE USO NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Bogotá, 14 August and 1 September 2007. UNION SINDICAL OBRERA DE LA INDUSTRIA DEL PETROLEO - USO JUNTA DIRECTIVA NACIONAL - USO - SEDE BOGOTA Calle 38 No. 13-37 Oficina 302 - TEL: 234 40 74/41 06/43 99 e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - FAX: 287 18 61 Pueden consultar los boletines en: www.usofrenteobrero.org - www.frenteobrero.blogspot.com
COLOMBIA SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN ADDS: EDGAR MOJICA recently returned from a tour of England, Scotland and Wales. He gave evidence to the Pre-Hearing on BP in Colombia on 23 June 2007 at Strathclyde University in Scotland, presented at Amnesty International Human Rights Centre in London on 30 June as well as a number of regional meetings.
Edgar also joined the national and international commission visiting Casanare where BP operates, and presented evidence on behalf of his union to an audience of a thousand people at the full Peoples Permanent Tribunal held in Bogotá on 2, 3 and 4 August. He is an enormously knowledgeable, thoughtful and committed comrade who inspired great love and respect during his visit.
These threats to USO should be taken absolutely seriously. Campaign members have just returned from a visit to Barrancabermeja and Bucaramanga where the Black Eagles operate with impunity. In Barrancabermeja we met with the distraught families of 11 young people who had just been posted on a Black Eagles list. In Bucaramanga we interviewed two Coca Cola workers in SINALTRAINAL union whose family homes had just been visited and threatened, as was the home of national president JAVIER CORREA. Please send URGENT ACTION messages to the following: / Favor dirigir las ACCIONES URGENTES a los siguientes correos y direcciones: Presidencia ECOPETROL S.A. Dr. Javier Gutierrez Pemberthy This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Presidencia de la República
Vicepresidencia de la República Dr. Francisco Santos E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario. Dr. Carlos Franco Calle 7 N° 5-54 TEL: (+571) 336.03.11 FAX: (+57 1) 337.46.67 E- mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos
Representante Permanente de la OIT en Colombia, Dr. Marcelo Castro Fox Dirección: Av. 82. No. 12-18. Oficina: 504. E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Procuraduría General de la Nación, Dr. Edgardo José Maya Villazón, Carrera 5 No. 15-80, Santa Fe de Bogotá.
Central Unitaria de Trabajadores CUT Calle 35. No. 7-25 piso 9° Tel. 3237550. Bogotá E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
NB Also send to Colombian Embassy in London
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
14 de agosto ACCION URGENTE: AMENAZAS A MIEMBRO DE LA COMISION NACIONAL DE DERECHOS HUMANOS Y PAZ DE LA USO
Durante los últimos quince días, nuestro sindicato, la UNIÓN SINDICAL OBRERA, ha venido siendo objeto de amenazas escritas y telefónicas, de ellas han sido víctimas varios dirigentes de nuestra organización, las amenazas se las han atribuido las “Águilas Negras”. Esto ha sucedido en el área de Barrancabermeja, Bucaramanga y últimamente en Bogotá.
Es así como el día 12 de agosto del presente año, a las 7:45 p.m. recibió una llamada telefónica a su celular, el compañero EDGAR MOJICA VANEGAS, miembro de la Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos y Paz de la USO, de una persona de sexo masculino, con marcado acento valluno, le manifestó: “sabemos del trabajo que esta haciendo en derechos humanos, en especial las denuncias internacionales, si sigue en eso vamos a proceder, lo tenemos ubicado a usted, pero en especial a su familia.” Estos hechos apuntan a que se fragua definitivamente un nuevo atentado contra defensores de derechos humanos, donde también colocan como objetivo a sus familias. Llamamos a todas las organizaciones nacionales e internacionales de derechos humanos a que se pronuncien ante estos nuevos hechos ya que existen antecedentes en los que precisamente dentro del marco del ultimo encuentro nacional de Victimas realizado en Bogotá, los días 2, 3 y 4 de agosto de 2007, fueron asesinados dirigentes sociales que estuvieron en ese encuentro, los cuales fueron muy activos frente a denunciar y dar testimonio de todos los atropellos y violaciones a los derechos humanos, en los cuales el Estado colombiano es el principal responsable.
En lo concerniente a la amenaza recibida por el compañero EDGAR MOJICA, es claro que detrás de las mismas siguen estando presentes los mismos actores de siempre, las multinacionales, el Estado colombiano y “los ejecutores”, los paramilitares, que hoy se autodenominan las (Águilas Negras). Estos hechos hacen necesario, tanto el rechazo, como la solidaridad de las organizaciones sociales y sindicales, organismos defensores de DDHH, y el pronunciamiento en contra de dichas amenazas, así como desarrollar todas las acciones que respalden la protección de la vida del compañero.
Exigimos al gobierno nacional y a ECOPETROL, se brinden de inmediato todas las medidas necesarias para salvaguardar la vida de EDGAR MOJICA VANEGAS y los demás miembros del sindicato.
SEPIEMBRE 1 DE 2007 JUNTA DIRECTIVA NACIONAL DE LA USO COMISION NACIONAL DE DERECHOS HUMANOS USO
ACCION URGENTE: AMENAZADA DIRIGENCIA NACIONAL DE LA USO
En Colombia, según Álvaro Uribe, se desmovilizaron los grupos paramilitares, pero lo real es que continúan más activos, desde la cárcel o por fuera de ella.
Cada vez que el gobierno y la administración de ECOPETROL implementan programas de privatización de ECOPETROL, o de entrega de nuestros recursos se incrementan las amenazas contra el sindicato. Como ahora cuando los trabajadores expresan su rechazo a la decisión de la venta de acciones que se iniciara este 27 de agosto.
ANTECEDENTES:
HECHOS:
ULTIMATUM MUERTE MUERTE MUERTE REFUNDANDO IDEAS POR UNA CARTAGENA LIBRE DE GUERRILA AGUILAS NEGRAS (BLOQUE DISIDENTE)
“BARRANCA BERMEJA, 31 DE AGOSTO DE 2007
CONFIRMAMOS NUESTROS PROPOSITOS RODOLFO VECINO, CON TODA LA INTELIGENCIA DEL CASO REALI ZADAS EN CARTAGENA, BARRANCA, ARAUCA, ETC, NOS CONFIRMAN QUE TE SALVAST E EN CARTAGENA, TUVISTE SUERTE EN TODAS LAS OPORTUNIDADES PARA ANIQUILARTE, PERO AHORA NO TE VAS A SALVAR DE ESTA, QUE CONSTE QUE SE ADVIRTIO QUE SALIERAS DE CARTAGENA Y NO LO HAS HECHO, HAS SEGUIDO EN LO MISMO Y AHORA NOS ESTAS JODIENDO AQUI EN BARRANCA PERO TE QUEREMOS ADVERTIR POR ULTIMA VEZ QUE NO CREO QUE CUENTES CON LA MISMA SUERTE AQUI Y EN NINGUN LUGAR DE NUESTRO TERRITORIO COLOMBIANO, NO NOS SUBESTIMES, TE LLEGO LA HORA, QUE CONSTE QUE VAS A DEJAR A UNA VIUDA Y CUATRO HIJOS, RECUERDA CUANDO LOS BUSCARON Y EL ATENTADO A TU MUJER POR EQUIVOCACION POR QUE SABES QUE ERA PARA TI. MALPARIDO TE VAMOS A BAJAR SABEMOS TODOS TUS MOVIMIENTOS. TE DECLARAMOS OBJETIVO MILITAR. NO TE SALVARAS NI LOS GUERRILLEROS QUE TE CUIDAN, NI BLINDAJE NI NADA, NUESTRO PLAN DE ANIQUILAMIENTO CONTRA TODOS LOS LIDRES SINDICALES Y TODOS LOS GUERRILLEROS Y GUERRILLERAS Y.M.R.G.L, ETC YA ESTA LISTO. YA NOS TIENES MAMADOS , MALPARIDO RODOLFO CON TUS IDEALES DE MIERDA.
TENEMOS SUFICIENTE PODERIO MILITAR Y DE INTELIGENCIA, SEGUIMOS CON FIRMEZA. ¡TIENEN QUE CUMPLIR LO QUE ORDENAMOS¡ HIJOS DE PUTAS ¡YA VERAN LO QUE LES ESPERAN¡ YA ESTA LA ORDEN LISTA”.
AGUILAS NEGRAS UNIDAS DE COLOMBIA
SOLICITUDES Y RESPONSABILIDADES:
JUNTA DIRECTIVA NACIONAL DE LA USO
COMISION NACIONAL DE DERECHOS HUMANOS USO
Monday 17 September London Branch Meeting 7pm THE APPLE TREE PUB - 45 Mount Pleasant. (Off Grays Inn Rd). London WC1. map http://www.tipped.co.uk/listings/4973
Thursday 20 September London Public Meeting (venue tbc)
Humanitarian Tragedy in Colombia: Uribe, para-politica and the social movements
Speaker: Senator Alexander Lopez Vice-President Senate Human Rights Commission former president of SINTRAEMCALI trade union
Frontline Latin America - FLA No 6 Out Now!
Articles on Paramilitary Horror, Ecuador, BP in Casanare, Gold mining, Green imperialism and much more.
Join the Colombia Solidarity Campaign. Includes subscription to FLA Individuals (unwaged/waged) £7.50 / £15 Organisations (small/medium/large) £30/£60/£90
Send cheque made out to “Colombia Solidarity Campaign” to: Colombia Solidarity Campaign, PO Box 8446, London N17 6NZ
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